FLI Mentorship Program
The FLI Student Success Center believes in the idea of "lifting as you climb." Through the FLI Community Mentor Program and the FLI Alumni Network, we empower those who have already had experience navigating Stanford to pass on their institutional knowledge to those coming after them.
Our Mission
The First-Generation Community Mentoring Program is beginning its seventh year. Its focus is to connect first-generation undergraduate students with graduate students and alumni mentors to build a sense of community and develop opportunities for first-generation and/or low-income students by creating connections across campus and beyond. The program has formal and informal events to elevate campus-wide conversations about class and privilege as well as connect mentors and mentees with resources across campus and beyond.
Expectations
- Mentor/Mentee Pairs: You are expected to meet with your mentor or mentee at least once a month. This can be in person or virtual. At the Meet Your Match Event in the fall, we will ask you and your mentor to commit to a meeting schedule. While we understand that unexpected events may occur, we expect you to meet monthly for the majority of the school year.
- Pods: You are expected to connect with your pods once a month. This can be in person, over zoom, in a group chat, or any other method agreed upon by the group. Alumni/Faculty leaders will be expected to coordinate this along with their students and facilitate conversation surrounding the FLI experience, how to get the most out of your mentor relationship, and other conversational topics that will be sent out by the office at the beginning of each month.
- You are also encouraged to attend one in-person event hosted by the office per quarter and meet with your mentor/mentee in person at least once (if possible). The FLI Student Success Center has the capacity to distribute coffee gift cards to help encourage in-person connections.
CareerEd Partnership
Newer to the program is our collaboration with CareerEd. We have partnered with CareerEd to incorporate more alumni engagement with the Mentor program. This includes using the Stanford Alumni Network platform for mentors and mentees to access alumni to create relationships and networks to move closer to their goals. We also have the Lunch with Alumni series which allows students to have a more casual conversation with Stanford Alumni on a topic of interest. Follow the FLI Office Instagram and stay tuned to the FLI Mentorship mailing list for events, programming, and updates!
How It Works
Step 1
Sign Up for the Program
Fill out the application* Sign-Ups are matched on a rolling basis
Rolling Application Deadlines
- Round 1 matches are completed mid-Fall quarter and following rounds are completed on a rolling basis according to demand.
- *APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR ARE NOW CLOSED. Please apply when we reopen in Autumn 2023 (If you are a graduating senior, check out the FLI Alumni Network here: https://www.stanfordflan.com/)
Step 2
Get Matched
We match undergraduates with graduate students in the same academic field.
Step 3
Meet Your Pod
Every 3-6 undergrad / grad students are grouped in a "Pod." Each Pod is led by an alumni or faculty.
Step 4
Connect with the Entire Program
Gain access to every person enrolled in the program through in-person events and the program lookbook.
Follow the FLI Student Success Center Instagram for updates on programming, events, and other resources. If you have any questions, please email the FLI mentor team.
